Southern Indiana Business Report
BEDFORD – Radius Indiana hosted its inaugural Home Brew Competition March 18 at St. Benedict’s Brew Works in Jasper. Through the light-hearted event, Radius was able to identify and meet several potential entrepreneurs who expressed interest in learning about opening microbreweries in the rural communities of the Radius region.
Eight participants went head-to-head in a five-category contest to earn the title of brewmaster. Nearly $3,000 in prizes were awarded for first, second and third place in each of the five brew categories: light, amber, hoppy, wheat and dark. Judges tasted and scored the 16 brew submissions based on a rubric that included aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel and overall impression.
“We would like to thank all participants for making this first competition a success,” said Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius. “Additionally, thank you to the judges for donating their time on a Saturday to taste local brews and especially to St. Benedict’s Brew Works for hosting at their Jasper location and providing a great atmosphere for the event.”
Top three brewers in each category
- Light
- 1: Derek Wiggins
- 2: Dan Herman
- 3: Phil Wagner
- Amber
- 1: Derek Wiggins
- 2: Phil Wagner
- 3: Jim McFaul
- Hoppy
- 1: Logan Quinn
- 2: Luke Stemle
- 3: Derek Wiggins
- Wheat
- 1: Derek Wiggins
- 2: Luke Stemle
- 3: Ed Cole
- Dark (this category only had two entries)
- 1: Derek Wiggins
- 2: Phil Wagner
The competition was open to home brewers of any skill level who are residents of the eight Radius Indiana counties: Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Washington. Long-time home brewer and member of the Dubois County Suds Club, Jim McFaul, assisted with the event along with Ed Cole, executive director of Dubois Strong.
“The home brew competition is a great addition to the slate of events that Radius Indiana hosts, and Dubois Strong is proud to be a partner,” said Cole. “Economic development is constantly changing and evolving in how it supports communities and these new opportunities as a result are very exciting.”
As the regional economic development organization for the region, Radius works to create opportunities for entrepreneurs to further develop their products and ideas. The homebrew competition is the latest initiative for residents to showcase their talents and spur discussion of potential business opportunities.
“We are excited about the possible opportunities that may come from the competition and its participants,” said Blaine Parker, director of entrepreneurship and small business support for Radius Indiana. “Revitalizing our communities and their downtowns is a key initiative, and the more we engage with entrepreneurs and showcase the programs available to start a new business, the greater the opportunity for development.”
Radius plans to host future home brewing competitions and events to engage the region as well as the state of Indiana in this unique and spirited industry with a tight-knit community.